(April 2) Lauren and Kolo Toure have been named in the African Team of the Year for 2002. The Arsenal duo's selection was announced at a ceremony in Johannesburg. Lauren was a regular fixture in the Gunners' Double-winning side last year, while Toure has made significant progress in the first team this season. El Hadji Diouf of Liverpool was named African Footballer of the Year, an award which Arsenal striker Kanu won in 1996 and 1999.
Kolo Toure?!?! I love what I've seen of him and I'm definitely happy for him but I can't see him on that list. Shouldn't regular first-team football be a prerequisite for inclusion on a continent's "best of" list? He didn't get anywhere near the World Cup (unless he bought tickets) and I don't remember reading about any ANC heroics either. This is just silly.
Toure is a jack of all trades. I've seen him in the midfield and at the back this year, and I've been very impressed. Obviously it's hard for him to get regular playing time at a club with so many big names, so that's probably why you don't know about him. Don't sleep on him, he's good now and he'll only get better.
Maybe you read my first post too quickly, but I know exactly who he is and that is why I don't think he belongs on Africa's "best of 2002" list.
It's obvious there's a lack of talent in Africa if these two make it into the team of the year. Shocking!
What about Kanu? Loser can't get a sniff of PT. How long is he going to continue to eat space on the roster?